Melting Point Determination

1 Stanford Research Systems Phone: (408) 744-9040 Melting Point Determination Application Note #1 Introduction A few basic guidelines must be carefully followed to avoid errors during Melting Point determinations with OptiMelt. The way in which the sample is prepared and the instrument is programmed have the greatest influence on the accuracy and reproducibility of a Melting Point measurement. Subjective interpretation of the changes observed in the sample (visually and/or automatically) during the analysis can also lead to unreliable results. Background The Melting Point of a substance is the temperature at which the material changes from a solid to a liquid state.

2 Pure crystalline substances have a clear, sharply defined Melting Point . During the Melting process, all of the energy added to a substance is consumed as heat of fusion, and the temperature remains constant. A pure substance melts at a precisely defined temperature, characteristic of every crystalline substance and dependent only on pressure (though the pressure dependency is generally considered insignificant). Determining the MP is a simple and fast method used in many diverse areas of chemistry to obtain a first impression of the purity of a substance. This is because even small quantities of impurities change the Melting Point , or at least clearly enlarge its Melting range.

3 Melting Point determinations are more than just a classroom exercise in the organic chemistry lab. The test is still an important technique for gauging purity of organic and pharmaceutical compounds. The Determination of Melting points is one of the oldest identification and test methods for organic substances. The Melting Point is easy to measure, tabulate and classify. Extensive collections of tables give the exact values of many pure, inorganic and organic compounds. The MP Determination is a fast and cost-effective technique which remains a strong link to the vast pre-instrumental chemistry literature.

4 Capillary Method The procedural rules for Melting Point determinations are defined in the pharmacopeias. The medical handbooks include minimum requirements for the Melting Point Determination Stanford Research Systems Phone: (408) 744-9040 design of the Melting Point apparatus and for performing the measurements. Automated Melting Point Determination procedures are generally included. Very often, the pharmacopeias also list special methods for difficult or unusual cases of Melting Point Determination . The pharmacopeias regard the capillary method as the standard technique for Melting Point Determination .

5 In this methodology, a thin glass capillary tube containing a compact column of the substance to be determined is introduced into a heated stand (liquid bath or metal block) in close proximity to a high accuracy thermometer. The temperature in the heating stand is ramped at a user-programmable fixed rate until the sample in the tube transitions into the liquid state. While determining a Melting Point , several observations and the temperatures are recorded. Tips The metal heating stand of OptiMelt can accommodate three capillary tubes so that up to three independent samples can be analyzed at the same time.

6 A platinum resistance thermometer, in close proximity to the sample slots, is used to read the temperatures during the melt. Your OptiMelt includes a vial of precision Melting Point capillaries specifically designed to fit the sample slots and provide the most uniform and repeatable results. The capillary method described by most pharmacopeias relies on a visual detection of the melt. However, some modern instruments, such as OptiMelt, enable automated detection of the Melting Point and Melting range, while at the same time providing a view of the sample during the process. The accuracy of a Melting Point record is assured by: (a) careful sample preparation, (b) proper instrument setup, and (c) routine calibration of the instrument s temperature scale against certified Melting Point standards.

7 Sample Preparation Careless preparation of a sample is the leading cause of inaccurate and irreproducible results in Melting Point determinations. Any substance being loaded into a Melting Point capillary must be: 1. Fully dry 2. Homogeneous 3. In powdered form Melting Point Determination Stanford Research Systems Phone: (408) 744-9040 Moist samples must be dried first 48 hours over P2O5, in a dessicator, usually gets the job done. The primary requirement for good Melting Point Determination is that the sample be in a fine powder form. This makes the heat transfer into the sample more efficient and reproducible, and also enhances the overall reflectivity of the sample for easier automated detection of the melt.

8 Coarse crystalline and non-homogeneous samples must be crushed into a fine powder in a mortar. An agate, glass or alumina mortar and pestle are recommended. Solid samples, mortar and pestle, and capillary tubes the basic ingredients for sample preparation. To fill a capillary tube with a sample, the open end of the capillary is pressed gently into the substance several times. The powder is then pushed to the bottom of the tube by repeatedly pounding the bottom of the capillary against a hard surface (preferred method). Alternatively, the capillary tube can be dropped onto a table through a glass tube of 1 m in length.

9 A sample packing wire can be used at the end to further compact the sample and improve the reproducibility of the measurements. In addition to tight packing, maintaining a fixed level in the fill is also a very important requirement. Taller samples take extra heat to completely melt and usually display larger Melting ranges than their shorter counterparts. A sample height between mm and mm is recommended for optimum results and reproducibility. Melting Point Determination Stanford Research Systems Phone: (408) 744-9040 If your sample is hygroscopic, or sublimates at high temperatures, the open end of the capillary tube must be sealed by heating.

10 Hygroscopic samples must be stored in a dessicator between tests. This is particularly critical in humid environments or even rainy days. The sample tubes are loaded into OptiMelt by inserting them into one of the sample position slots located on top of the instrument. Up to three samples can be accommodated by the heating block simultaneously. For improved reproducibility of results, it is recommended that three tubes be inserted even if each capillary does not contain a sample. Since up to three different samples can be determined at the same time, loading three capillaries with the same substance and averaging their MP temperatures provides the fastest and simplest way to improve the repeatability and accuracy of all MP determinations.